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CASINO-RAMA RESORT: ROTUNDA THEATER

The Chippewas of Mnjikaning First Nation, an aboriginal community north of Toronto, have turned to modern theatrical technology to showcase their ancient history and culture. Visitors to Casino Rama Resort in Rama, Ontario, Canada, are treated to an eight-minute multimedia show, designed and produced by Lester Creative, Inc., of Valencia, CA.

 

Air'n Art Designs was brought in by Lester Creative, Inc. and was involved with concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

The "Rotunda" theater, or Theater in-the-round, represents the tribes' traditional methods of securing food. For ages, the local clans of The Chippewas of Mnjikaning First Nation used a "Fish Fence" to herd fish into and then catch bare-handed. This theater represents such a fish fence, along with columns around the perimeter. Each column represents one of the clans and their animal spirit, or Totem.

At different points in the presentation, each clan member's likeness, which appears to have been carved at the top of a large tree trunk, begins to "come alive" as rear-projected video completes the illusion. At the completion of clan's dialog, the animal spirt begins to 'move" down the length of the column towards the floor.

This effect is facilitated by thousands of fiber-optic strands embedded in the column face, and continue down into the terrazzo floor. Once at the floor, the scintillating effect transforms into the footprint of each animal spirit. The ghostly footprints then dance around the floor amongst the guests as traditional music fills the air and resonates from the floor via sub-woofers hidden within benches arranged around the center "bonfire".

The bonfire represents the common meeting place for all peoples, and is represented here with more fiber optics and other  high-end lighting effects, and richly decorated by indigenous craftsmen.

The center-piece of the theater are the multiple large projection screens and the fiber-optic oculus which doubles as another projection surface and ties all the multi-media features together in a stunning, out-of-this-world presentation.

The projection screens around the perimeter also serve as advertising opportunities between shows for specials and up-coming events.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Graphic Artists Guild
Themed Entertainment Association
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